jumps out of gear

[Nutty Fisherman]

I have a 1976 35 HP johnson motor. A couple of years ago I put a new water pump in it, This last year it sometimes acts like it jumps out of gear when putting the power to it. When you get going about half speed is when this will happen then it will go back in. Also some times it will be alright the rest of the day and other times it will do it again. When you are up to full speed it will not do it, just under a load. There is new gear oil in the lower unit and when I change that it doesn't seam to have any shavings in it.

Any ideas out there

thanks

[IFallsRon]

It could be worn dogs on the shifting gear assembly. I think it's a two-piece deal with a yoke to engage/disengage. If the motor works good in reverse but jumps in forward, that could be the problem. I think I paid around $350 to have a similar motor fixed 6-7 years.

[Pikeslayer]

When you removed the lower unit to replace the impeller I beleave you had to unhook the shifting linkage.I would check there for the problem.It could be a little out of ajustment.

[marine_man]

It could be adjustment as Pikeslayer said, however, since it didn't do it right away I'm guessing it's the dog on the shifting assembly.

Verify that the motor is in the "center" of neutral, when it's put in neutral. Or, put in another way, the distance from neutral to forward on the shift linkage should be very close to the distance from neutral to reverse.

marine_man